Maxfli BlackMax Prototype Final Conclusion

72 holes with my first BlackMax ball and still going! Somehow I've managed to play 4 straight 18 hole rounds with ONE ball. Two of the rounds were 73 (one good enough for 3rd in a local tournament).

The most amazing thing about this ball is the durability. I'm going to get a digital photo of the ball I've used. Aside from some wearing of the decoration, the ball is quite undamaged and still playable. I'm going to just keep playing holes with this ball until I either lose it or wear it out.

I've said in all of my reviews that the iron play with this ball is amazing. The feel off the irons and the accuracy I seem to have is great. My distance control is right on. This may be due to the fact that my iron game is solid right now or that the ball is just that good... Perhaps it's a little of both.

All 4 of the rounds I've played with this ball have been in moderate to heavily windy conditions. I've used the Callaway HX Tour in windy conditions and the BlackMax is every bit as good, if not better in the wind.

Until my last round played I wasn't sure about the supposed distance of this ball because my driver just wasn't working well. This last round I finally resolved that question with some very solid drives. One of my pals that I play with is a BIG hitter. He plays either the HX tour or V1X. If I am "on" with my driver I can usually hit it as long as him or at least within 5-10 yards. On this day he was hitting the "new" V1X. We both have the 983K drivers with the same YS6 firm shaft. Two occasions he crushed his driver and was a good 20 yards in front of me. One occasion we both crushed our drives into the wind and I was 10 yards in front of him. The final occasion we both hit pure drives straight downwind on a par 4 (410 yards). The two balls were exactly 40 yards from the green. (Yes that's 370 but the wind was strong and the ground very hard).

I don't play the V1X as it feels way too hard for me. When I play the V1 my buddy is MUCH longer than I am. When I played the BlackMax we were neck and neck. So I can conclude that this ball is a long ball. I would say it is much longer than a V1, and about even with a V1X or HX Tour. I would also say that this ball is better into the wind than the V1X.

Chipping for me has been terrible as of late (shaking off the winter rust), but my putter has been strong. I've always liked the feel of a V1 off the putter better than an HX Tour and the BlackMax feels just as nice. I would say for me, there is just a little less spin around the greens than a V1 more than an HX Tour.

This ball definitely beats the HX or V1 in it's value. I can barely play 9 holes without rendering an HX tour unplayable with some full wedges or short irons. The V1 is more durable than the HX for me. I can play around or two but if I hit a ton of full lob wedges I can scrape the cover right off. The BlackMax does not wear like that. For a premium ball I can get much more play per dollar out of the Maxfli, provided I don't lose it.

Lose it? I can't lose it. I've knocked it OB 3 times. I've knocked it in the "forest" 2 times. I've bounced it off of fences and skipped it over lakes. I've hit it left handed twice and nailed several trees.

72 holes and going strong....How many holes will I go before I lose it or deem it unplayable? My next round with it is this Thursday...